There is a higher standard for us to reach. We are not making all that advancement that it is our duty or our privilege to make. How is it that we use the talent that God has given us in temporal matters and not in His service? Ought we not to have greater interest in eternal things than in those things which concern our temporal wants?

We have heard desire expressed that husbands and families should come into the truth. This is right; it should be a prominent wish. But do we do all our duty? Do we make all the advancement that we should? Do we not come far short of our duty in meeting the work of progression? Don’t be a spiritual dwarf. We love to see infants and watch their baby ways, but the same ways would be disgusting if retained until the child was two years old. So the Christian must grow. Be conformed to Christ, not deformed. Just feel as though you were anchored in Christ. Let there be a solidity to the sisters who are alone. Avoid frivolity and keep constantly watching.

The rich blessings of heaven are all ready to be showered upon us. Don’t be selfish. With too many, all there is to religion is: Me and my family. They will not go out of their way to help and bless any others. In such case, God cannot bless them. It is when we are drawn out from self that God blesses us. He wants us to be drawn out from ourselves. That which we sow, we will reap. If you sow selfishness, you will reap selfishness, that is, you will have it fastened upon you. Let us get out of self and talk of the mercies and blessings of God.

Let all the sisters feel that if they haven’t a husband to lean upon, they will lean more heavily upon God. Every one of our sisters can be a living missionary, and can bring light into every meeting. Do we act as though we were called from darkness into marvelous light? or as if we were lugging along a heavy weight? We must talk light and pray light, and light will come in. If only women in the church [would] show that God can work through women. It was Mary that first preached a risen Jesus…. There are richer blessings for those that have the harder conflict, for Christ is a present help in trouble. But we must be divested of selfishness; be acquainted with the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, and we shall thus grow more and more like Jesus till the crown of immortality is placed upon our brows.—Manuscript 2, May 13, 1884, “Sermon by Mrs. E. G. White.”
The Upward Look p. 147
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Prayer Requests
—-asking for prayer Mick. he was taken to the hospital with kidney failure and a blood infection. I am scheduled for cataract surgery for March 4th. My sister is still alive but barely she is in a coma and has not eaten anything for 14 days and my brother in law will not take the cell phone t o her so I Can tell her it’s OK to go. .
he said she can’t hear anything. I told him the hearing is the last thing to go. Pray that I will be able to talk to her she has always looked up to me being I am her older sister thank you .. M.
—-Pray for an important event this afternoon. Maria
—-Please keep my Grandson Jacob in prayer. He just boarded his flight to Missouri for 5 months Military Police Training and 5 years in the Army. My prayer is for safety, accomplishment and most importantly, he is grouped up with righteous people. Connie
—-Please can u pray for a friend spiritual, physical and emotional healing. They are recovering from alcohol. They really really want to quit. Shannon
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Dear Friends,
On long winter evenings, as a special treat, my grandmother would unpack her stereoscope. How I looked forward to that! Each card had two identical photographs printed side by side. When placed in the stereoscope’s slot and viewed through the eyepiece, a three-dimensional picture would appear. It was such a wonderment for me to view far off places and people in old-fashioned clothes doing old-fashioned things. I would look at these wonders with awe. I knew that I had to handle these objects with the utmost care, as they were very old and irreplaceable.
God’s Holy Word is like looking through that stereoscope. It, too, is irreplaceable and should be handled with reverence and awe. As we compare what each of the Bible writers had to say upon a certain subject, we get the depth of meaning that a simple reading through of Scrpture cannot give—much like my grandmother and my getting a three dimensional picture when we put the specially prepared card into the stereoscope. Isaiah tells us that in studying the Bible, “precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Isa 28:10 The Holy Spirit revealed to patriarchs and prophets great messages for those around them. These great messages were not only for them but for us as well.
What a treasure the Scriptures are! Through them, we find the only true answers to life’s questions. Through them we find “the Way the Truth and the Life.” John 14:6 The psalmist exclaims, “I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Ps 119:99-105
Peter, when comparing his experience upon the mount of transfiguration to the Word of God, tells us that in God’s Word “we have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto [we] do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21 Think of it! The Scriptures are more sure than what we see around us, more sure than what we hear, more solid than what we feel, more real than the experiences of our life.
Paul tells us that the holy scriptures “are able to make [us] wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” 2 Tim 3:15-17; Rom 10:17; Heb 4:12

How important it is, therefore, that we diligently study God’s Great Love Letter to us. It is the “sword of the Spirit.” Eph 6:17 By it, our Dear Saviour defeated the devil during the wilderness temptations. Over and over again He answered, “It is written.” (Matt 4:1-11 ) How His Great Heart of Love longs for us to follow His example of using the Scriptures to defeat the foe. He tells us, “blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28 David sang, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Ps 19:7-10
Let us each day “study to show [ourselves] approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 Let us meditate upon the Scriptures and “give [ourselves] wholly to them; that [our] profiting may appear to all, [taking] heed unto [ourselves], and unto the doctrine; [continuing] in them: for in doing this [we] shall both save [ourselves,] and them that hear [us.]” 1 Tim 4:15,16 Let us daily pray “let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Ps 19:14
Rose

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